We all have different personalities.We must be able to use them to our advantage. 1- to be able to use our strenghts to effectively teach. 2-To know our weaknesses to be able to work on strengthening them. 3- To use our positive personalities to be more affective. Having the proper rapport with students is very helpful when trying to relate to them and also relate to the class discussions and lectures.
When I understand myself I can really put forth who I am. Just like we need to know how are students learn, they need to know how we teach.
Hi Lawrence:
Wow - how wonderful! I would say that laying out such a vision of faraway or unfamiliar places should grab the students attention quite rightly!
Regards, Barry
It's my personal expeirences that drive my teaching style. I am very well traveled and read in my field of study. So photos of far off markets or travel tales start my teaching modules. This keeps my students very much engaged and inspired.
Hi Stephen:
Good perspective! We all want to be the best teachers we can be. And just hoping that will happen probably isn't going to make that happen - we have to work at it. The more we know about ourselve, and am honest about our pecularities and unique attributes, the better will be the environment for us to work at becoming better at what we do.
Regards, Barry
To have a better understanding of my teaching style prepares me for increasing my teaching capabilities. It will also help me become a better more effective teacher.
Hi Eric:
Good ideas. I think you're right - we can't help but infuse students with attributes that either directly or indirectly assist them in their career pursuits. I think that's why its so important that, as instructors, we portray the best role models we can be.
Regards, Barry
When we are teaching our students I feel we are teaching them more then just the material, it is also about profesionalism, maturity, morals, ethics. Understanding ourselves is the only way we can get across all the information needed to our students. We want them to succeed on all levels as they leave our classrooms.
Hi Craig:
Great. The key is willingness. It's easy to just settle for what we can get by with. Quality takes work, and it's not always fun or plesant - especially if we have to open to be honest with ouselves to examine some unplesant trait we have.
Regards, Barry
If I have a good understanding of myself, I can work on my weaknesses and fine tune my strengths.
Hi Timothy:
Great - sounds like you have a good sense of control over your class and how you wanted it conducted. I agree that students want someone to be in charge, even it means school work assignments.
Regards, Barry
It is essential that I know what type of an instructional leader I am. This will allow me to use my strengths and develop my weaknesses. I know that I am a better instructor because of this knowledge. I am more comfortable and my students sense that on a daily basis. I also believe that my students have more respect for me because I am managing the class and the class is not managing me.
Hi Bernie:
Great. Your self analysis is instructive. Thanks for sharing.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jose:
I think the basic premise of teacher-types is applicable to most all delivery methods including online and/or web/based. As long as the class is instructor led (vs. independent study or self paced), that instructor will interact with students in a certain way.
Regards, Barry
By understanding yourself you know your strenths and shortcomings. I believe that to be a good instructor you should use your strenths to good advantage, and continually work on your shortcomings. I also feel that knowing yourself can help you react appropriately when confronted by a situation , being aware of what your normal response might be and keeping it in check.
Thanks,
Bernie
With today technology I was wondering if any of these instructional leader types would be successful in distance training / Web based Live training. I currently teach people from a webcam and web based learning tools that webex provides. which allows me to see the student and their computers desktop as well and vice-versa.
Hi Bobby:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding your traits as an instructor so abundantly!
I believe it's only through serious self analysis along with a willingness to adapt and change our ways (as applicable) that makes us better instructors. With your longevity in your profession, you've had the opportunity to do this and it appears this course is helping you confirm the attributes you recognize in yourself. Terrific!
Regards, Barry
Hi Jason:
I think you're right in resolving that ultimatly, being well prepared will benefit your students the most. Without it, and your direction and experience, the class will waver with less than wonderful student outcomes.
Regards, Barry
Dear Mr.Westling,
I too. after reviewing the styles of instructors mentioned in the above course, gave me a great insight into who I am as an instructor. I fit into three of the categories of instructors and they include:
The Dead Poets Society
The Socatic Instructor
Learn by Doing.
I have been in my field of teaching and profession for 43 years. It has allowed me to work in every aspect of the culinary field, and work along many of the famous chef's we now know, have known, and observe on television today. Having also worked in the the theatre and dance fields before studing seariously in Paris, I find daily in the classroom, that my dramatic flair and passion for the subject matter is always surfacing in my daily lectures. The students love to hear about my stories of culinary successes and failures, and the personalities and hard work of days gone by. With enthusiasm and curiousness, I also become the Socratic Instuctor, who loves to question and challenge my students toward the desired course content, and I also try to accommadate all the students learning levels and abilities. The final part of the daily learning experience turns me into the Learn by Doing Instructor. Since the Culinary Career College is based on both the cognative and tactile learning experiences, I strive to encourage the students to daily meet the curriculum standards in their field of study. With demonstrations(tactile), Power Point(visual), and lectures(auditory), I hope to bring all my students into their desired field with excellent skills and knowlege of subject matter. Their final plating and presentation of their finished "production" technique and dish is a dai;y reflection of how well I have done as an instuctor. I've found that knowing my students abilities and weaknesses has helped me to undestand my own, and with these three styles of teaching, I have tried to hone my teaching methods into a teaching cateer that I truly love, have a great passion for, and Respect.
Sincere thanks for listening,
Bobby
I find that it is very important to have an understanding of yourself as an instructional leader so that you can self critique your own strengths and weaknesses and what it is that you will need to build upon to make yourself a better educator in the long run. After being an instructor going on 5 years now, I reflect back to my first year and remember how challenging it was and how frustrating it could be when I didn't always have a handle on the different variables that my students would present to me from day to day. Preparation is the ultimate key to success as far as running a smooth, consistent class. It starts from the syllabus and course outline and carries straight through to the demonstration which is followed by production. The students can always gain a sense for how prepared the instructor of any course is and in return they will feed upon this. I always try to over-prepare myself for the class so that I may hold my students to a similar standard. I do recognize that they will never be at the same level of my expertise because of the level that they are at but I still feel strongly about introducing them to certain aspects little by little.
